Parasites – Roundworms and Coccidia
Parasites need to be controlled in your livestock. The most important of the gastrointestinal parasites include roundworms (barber pole worm) and coccidia. Dairy goats such as Nubians are more susceptible to parasites due to their South African ancestry (hot, dry climate). Green leaves are good to feed to a sick goat because that would be the first food it would eat, then follow with quality alfalfa hay. Don’t offer sacked/processed grains to a sick goat, because they are too difficult to digest. A goat will begin eating sacked or processed grain feeds only when recovery is well underway. The most important of the gastrointestinal parasites include roundworms (barber pole worm) and coccidia which is caused by the protozoa Eimeria.
| Prevent coccidiosis by keeping pens and bedding clean, water fresh, goats uncrowded, and areas dry. Wet and dirty conditions are incubators of coccidiosis for both kids and adults. It is absolutely necessity to rotate pastures. No amount of treating for coccidiosis (or deworming) will offset the need to rotate goats every three weeks into a clean, uninfected, and uncrowded area. Dewormers have no effect on coccidia. Bottle jaw is a sign of coccidiosis. Medication required for treating coccidiosis, both preventatively and curatively, is totally different from deworming products. Over-the-counter products for treating coccidiosis include Albon, its generic equivalent Sulfadimethoxine 12.5% (Di-Methox 12.5% Solution by AgriLabs). read more…All livestock have coccidia, it is when something stressful happens to the animal that the parasite increases in horrendous numbers and does the damage it does. Signs of coccidia are diarrhea with or without mucus or blood, dehydration, emaciation, weakness, anorexia, and death.Deworming will not treat coccidiosis! NOTE 12/13/2011: the reported damage done by using Corid is minimal and infrequent.. if you are treating coccidiosis on a close schedule, it is better to use Corid as opposed to Albon, DiMethox or Sulmet as the sterioids (Albon, DiMethox and Sulmet) will have an adverse effect on the liver. If you are only treating every 6 months or so the steriod use is fine but depending on the severity may not be as effective in the long run. read more… |
An effective control of these two groups of parasites will make a significant contribution to your goat’s health and well-being. The importance of thiamine in keeping goats healthy is difficult to overstate. Check your goats for diarrhea (scours) and for anemia by looking at the lower eyelid. The healthy goat’s color will be pinkish-red. Anything less than that is a sign your goat is anemic and is suffering from blood sucking worms. 
Currently, there are no non-chemical dewormers (including herbs and diatomaceous earth) which have been shown to be effective at controlling worms in livestock. Round worms (barber pole worm) are treated with Ivermectin which blocks the transmission of neuronal signals of the parasites, which are paralyzed and expelled out of the body, or they starve. I give my goats “Ivomec Plus” 1 cc (1 ml) per 100 pounds under the skin (subcutaneous injection). A shot should be given near the front leg (armpit) or on the side of the neck. Never give a shot near the hind quarters, which can cause a goat to go lame. Never give a very wormy goat the medicine orally, as it will cause the worms to release too suddenly, and the goat may die due to internal bleeding.
Does should be wormed well before being bred, not while they are pregnant until after 100 days if absolutely necessary. If the goat reacts to the shot by collapsing or goes into shock, they are showing signs of being allergic to the medicine. It is important to immediately give them a shot of Epinephrine 0.5-1.0 cc per 100 lbs. You should have a veterinarian or an experienced person give your goat medicine, and learn all you can before giving a shot yourself.
Homemade Electrolyte can help a goat needing to gain strength from weakness or loss of weight from a worm problem. Bring the goats strength back with this formula for a couple of days, and then give some worming medicine.
Homemade Electrolyte Formula:
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1TBSP molasses
• 1/2oz strong coffee
• Add water to make 2.5 liters of solution